Propaganda is used to mobilize people in times of war. Black Bodies in Propaganda: The Art of the War Poster presents 33 posters, most targeting Africans and African-American civilians during such times. These carefully designed works of art were aimed at mobilizing people of color in war efforts, even as they faced oppression and injustice in their homeland. Witness changing messages on race and politics through propaganda from the American Civil War to the African independence movements in this innovative exhibition.

Through the use of touch-screen interactives and video, visitors can experience the collection in several ways as they explore the changing face of propaganda in four distinct eras:

American Civil War: Propaganda posters created during the Civil War inspired African-American men to join the Union army and fight enslavement. As the nation rebuilt itself, these posters commemorated their heroics.

World War I: Even after the US abolished slavery, segregation denied many the equality they sought. In Africa, only Liberia and Ethiopia escaped European rule. Despite this, the First World War forced the US and Europe to mobilize their black population.

World War II: During the Second World War, the Allies used propaganda to brand the war as a fight for freedom against Nazi racism. African American soldiers broke mane barriers, the Tuskeegee Airmen took to the sky, and the US Army appointed its first African-American general.

Colonialism and the African Independence Movements: Many European nations used propaganda to entice colonized Africans to join colonial armies. However, following the Second World War, Africans turned their attention toward independence and gained international support through the propaganda of socialist governments in Russia and China.

Visit Penn Museum from now through March 2, 2014 to see this exhibition first-hand.